Togo — Shopping and Leisure

The best souvenir you can take home with you from Togo is one of the traditional, tribal facial woodcarvings. For something lighter, you could pack some of the traditional West African dress into your suitcase. This light and airy, colorful clothing gives a memorable reminder of your trip to Togo. Also, for clothing, you could purchase some handmade leather sandals. You could also buy some handmade malachite (a green, copper-carbonate stone) jewelry, which makes for a great gift for others or a fine souvenir for yourself.

One of the best places to find all these items is Rue des Artisans (a pedestrianized alley between Rue Tokmake and Boulevard de la Republique, Lome). Here, you will find a great display of these products in a low pressure environment. If you do wish to purchase, prepare to haggle since bartering is the norm. You can also go to Grand Marche (Rue de Grand Marche, Lome), which is the largest market in Togo. Here, you will find an eclectic mix of goods, from souvenirs to voodoo items, to regular clothing and electronics. It is a particularly good place to go if you are seeking fabrics.

Another wonderful place to head for handmade products is the Village Artisanal (Avenue de Noveau Marche, Lome), where you can see artisans weaving cloth, carving statues, and making wicker baskets. Here, you will also see the leather sandals that Lome is famous for being handcrafted. All products are for sale at reasonable yet fixed prices, so no bartering here. If you prefer, you can head to the markets where you can find similar products at better bargains if you’re willing to haggle.